Less than a month after the opening of the most recent shelter, the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) takes on the management of the fifth indigenous shelter in Roraima.
On February 15, the first beneficiaries of the reopening of the Nova Canaã Shelter arrived. Less than a month later, on March 10, it was the turn of the Tancredo Neves Shelter, which had also been in a contingency regime since the end of 2020, to reopen its doors, but now with a new profile: indigenous Venezuelans.
This is the fifth shelter specifically for this group, and all are under the management of the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF). With the demand for the sheltering of this vulnerable population continuing to increase, in spite of the continuation of the closing of the border between Brazil and Venezuela because of the pandemic, the institution continues its unmeasured efforts in its humanitarian response.
The volunteer team was increased, new jobs were created, the budget revised, logistics recalculated, and equipment reallocated, all to prepare the space for this new phase with a new group. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Operation Welcome, through the Armed Forces, continue to be partners in this venture as well, like in the other shelters.
According to Ricardo Baumgartner, operational manager of the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF), “The idea is that, at this moment, the Tancredo Neves Shelter should be a point of family reuniting.” As new indigenous immigrants arrive that already have family living in some shelter, the families are gradually reunited, “But as the shelters are all already crowded, in Tancredo Neves the larger families will be reunited, making space in the other shelters so that the process can take place in all of them.” Reuniting strengthens the family ties and brings a breath of hope, making the pain of the forced migration more bearable.
Finding out about the story of some of those in the shelters
Alonso, 53 years old, has lived in Brazil for three years, and was in the Janokoida Shelter, in Pacaraima. He decided to go to Boa Vista, with his wife and one daughter, looking for a better job opportunity. He has one son, one daughter-in-law and a nephew in the Nova Canaã Shelter, besides a niece and her husband. He hopes to shortly move in with the family members: “They said to me: ‘Come over here! Come, because there is space here for you!’ ”
His goal is to reach Manaus, where there are several family members – another son, two brothers, sisters-in-law and nephews. He plans to save money for the trip, because they are calling him to live in that city: “How do I get there? I don’t have money. If I had money, if I had work there in Pacaraima, I would go straight to Manaus.”
Now, Cristina 56 years old, and Luizito, 58 years old, a couple, have been in Brazil for less than two months. They came directly from the indigenous community in which they lived in Venezuela. There, they lived mainly on family farming and fishing, but they report that, “The thing in ‘Los Caños’ is ugly, it is very expensive, food is very expensive…expensive, expensive, really expensive! We can no longer live in Venezuela! That’s why we came here, looking for a better life, to have something to eat at least. Because over there, food is very expensive: we have to buy it in dollars!”
They also have relatives in Brazil, but they are further away: “Some live in Belém, some live in Rio de Janeiro, some in Brasilia – I don’t know where it is.” For now, they don’t think of going on, because to get here, the trip was very tiring and went through several phases: a stretch by boat, another by hitchhiking, a little by bus, and the last part, to enter Brazil, was done on foot: “Do you know what time we arrived in Pacaraima? At 9 pm, all day without eating anything, nothing, nothing; we couldn’t take any more hunger!”
Example for the world
Currently, the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) has almost 1850 beneficiaries as a sum total of the 5 indigenous shelters; 50% of the population is under 18 years old. The perspective is that the number of people assisted will continue to increase, in view of what is reported by those who arrive, about the situation in the neighboring country.
An unprecedented humanitarian crisis in South America. A humanitarian response articulated among various players, in an unmeasured effort, that serves as an example to the world.
